Picture puzzle

ABSTRACT

A picture puzzle comprised of a plurality of elongated pieces, each piece having a plurality of sides presenting a segment of a picture on each side, the puzzle seated in a rectangular box adapted to hold said pieces in a contiguous relationship with selective sides of said pieces in a face-up relationship so that when all the sides are aligned in a grooved base created from some of the pieces, all of the segments of the full picture face upwardly and are in contiguous relationship with each other, thereby forming a full picture. Differing sides of the pieces may be aligned contiguously and in face-up fashion, so that three (3) or six (6) different pictures may be constructed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a picture puzzle game comprised of a plurality of equilateral and equal-sized triangular tubes, some of which are used to form a grooved base at the bottom of a rectangular box and the balance of the tubes aligned side-by-side in the grooved base.

The object of the puzzle game is for the user to select and position the equilateral triangular tubes in such a manner that the user creates six (6) different full pictures.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The present invention is directed to the class of a picture puzzle game where the object of the game is for the user to fit (6) equilateral triangular tubes into six (6) grooves formed from seven (7) equilateral triangular tubes lying at the bottom of a rectangular box, thereby forming a full picture. In a simple version of the picture puzzle game, three (3) full pictures in color can be created. The adult version enables the user to create six (6) full pictures, in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the rectangular box that houses the picture puzzle.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of seven (7) equilateral triangular tubes that will be laid at the bottom of rectangular box forming a groove base.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of six (6) equilateral triangular tubes that will be positioned into the grooved base of the rectangular box.

FIG. 4 is a plan view, in color, of seven (7) equilateral triangular tubes lying in the bottom of the rectangular box and forming six (6) grooves which serve as a base, and in the drawing show two (2) of the six (6) equilateral triangular tubes sitting in the groove base of the rectangular box.

As seen in FIG. 1, there is a cutout (11) in the cover of the rectangular box which allows a view of the picture puzzle pieces when the box is closed (see FIG. 4). The seven (7) non-imprinted equilateral triangular tubes (12) as shown in FIG. 2 each has three (3) sides that meet at 60 degree angles (13) and each of the sides of all the tubes are equal in length and width (see FIG. 3 and FIG. 4). The six (6) imprinted equilateral triangular tubes (14) as shown in FIG. 4, in color, are similar in length and width as the equilateral triangular tubes shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. The rectangular box shown in FIG. 1 is made in size to accommodate seven (7) equilateral triangular tubes laid contiguously in the box to form the grooved base.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a picture puzzle which employs a rectangular box and a plurality of equilateral triangular tubes. The simple version of the picture puzzle includes six (6) equilateral triangular tubes of equal dimensions which have been imprinted with segments of three (3) full pictures in color. Also included are seven (7) non-imprinted equilateral triangular tubes of similar equal dimensions. These seven (7) equilateral triangular tubes are laid flat at the bottom of the rectangular box, thereby forming a base of grooves.

The six (6) imprinted equilateral triangular tubes, when aligned side-by-side in the grooved base form one of three (3) full pictures. Each full picture that is created and displayed in the puzzle originates from a full picture, in color, segmented into six (6) sections, with each section imprinted on one (1) of the three (3) sides of each of the six (6) equilateral triangular tubes.

The adult version of the picture puzzle consists of the same set of equilateral triangular tubes, but of the seven (7) non-imprinted tubes that make up the grooved base, six (6) of these tubes are now also imprinted with segments of three (3) different full pictures and one (1) equilateral triangular tube remaining blank (non-imprinted) and stationary in the grooved box. In both versions of the picture puzzle, the equilateral triangular tubes are positioned side-by-side in the groove base in the rectangular box so that the face-up sides of each triangular tube matches-up with the face-up sides of the adjoining tubes, thereby creating a full picture. After completing one full picture, the user reposition the triangular tubes in the groove base so that the face-up sides of the adjoining triangular tubes form another full picture. When the base is formed of the seven (7) non-imprinted equilateral triangular tubes, three (3) puzzles can be constructed. In the adult version, six (6) equilateral triangular tubes of this group are imprinted with segments of three (3) different full pictures, in color, thereby granting the user an opportunity to form six (6) full pictures instead of three (3) full pictures.

In both the simple and adult versions of the picture puzzle invention each of the three (3) or six (6) full pictures, in color, are segmented into six (6) parts and imprinted upon the sides of each triangular tube. By decreasing or increasing the number of segments made from a full picture and at the same time decreasing or increasing the same number of equilateral triangular tubes that make up a full picture, you change the size and complexity of the picture puzzle. 

1. An article of invention as a picture puzzle comprising a plurality of elongated equilateral triangular tubes with each tube having three (3) faces imprinted in a predetermined manner so that when all the elongated tubes are arranged side-by-side with their longitudinal axis in parallel with each other, each piece laid firmly in the grooved recesses of a grooved base of similar angle (60 degrees), and similar dimensions of width and longitude to receive the equilateral triangular tubes, all within a rectangular box accommodating the grooved base.
 2. An article according to claim
 1. wherein each face (side) of the equilateral triangular tube has an imprinted image of a segment of a picture, the three sides having segments of three (3) differing pictures, in color, thereon.
 3. An article according to claim
 1. wherein the recesses of a grooved base in the rectangular box are also triangular with angles of 60 degrees to receive the elongated equilateral triangular tubes.
 4. An article according to claim
 1. wherein each of the thirteen (13) equilateral triangular tubes, except for one (1), has an imprinted image of a segment of a picture, in color, on the three (3) sides of each tube. One tube included in the groove base is not imprinted, and remains seated in the grooved base of the rectangular box and is never used as a segment in any of the full pictures.
 5. An article according to claim
 1. wherein each of the equilateral triangular tubes and the rectangular box can be manufactured from either cardboard, plastic or wood. 